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We are a multi-national couple pursuing ways to improve the human condition, beginning with ourselves and our immediate environment. Our permaculture project, la Finca los Tres Mundos, was founded in June of 2007 in the mountain village of Mazatepec, Veracruz, Mexico. This 2 hectare farm is tucked neatly into the hills and includes grassland, forest areas and a spring-fed stream. It is a natural work of art, yet man´s footprint is clearly visible. We invite you to join us in this opportunity to explore the interactions between man and nature, and to imagine viable, sustainable solutions that can benefit all of us.

Since the farm is fairly new, at the moment we are working to improve the infrastructure of the property, make contacts and become established in the community. We have no electricity, and supplies must be brought in on foot or by horse/donkey. Turning any dream into a reality is a big project, and nothing happens overnight; but we are confident that with hard work, persistance and a positive attitude, we can achieve our vision and help create a better world.

 

Elham Shahidi Permaculture   Curiosity and an insatiable thirst for knowledge have propelled me through an amazing series of experiences. I have had the opportunity to work with and learn from extremely talented individuals from different countries, with different cultures and different ways of approaching problems – different ways of approaching life. My focus in these interactions has been sustainable living for individuals and communities within the problematic structure of the modern world. This is a difficult and complex issue, and I am looking forward to sharing my knowledge and learning from you as well. My specs: I graduated from Marlboro College (Marlboro, Vermont, USA) in 2001 with a Bachelor´s degree in Environmental Studies and Visual Arts. After graduating from Marlboro, I entered the Environmental Protection Agency of a Native American tribe in southern California, where I mapped and monitored water quality on and around the reservation. From 2003-2005 I traveled around the world working as a volunteer on organic farms, almost all of which employ permaculture practices. In 2006 I completed the Permaculture certification course in Caimito, Ecuador and, more recently, I have founded my own permaculture project – Finca los Tres Mundos in Mazatepec, Veracruz, Mexico.

Luis Uribe Stonework and Latin Dance   I´m a simple person who loves a challenge and who has a great curiosity for the mysteries that nature gives us every day. I grew up in the country on my grandparents´ farm, and as an adult I still find myself drawn to the countryside and to its people, who are the most sincere and who can most use our support in improving their quality of life sustainably with the resources they have available to them. Currently, I teach Latin dance styles such as salsa, cumbia and merengue. I also have over six years of experience in stonework: I began in the U.S. working with tile and soon moved on to materials including marble, granite, riverstone, and other natural (unfinished) stone. I especially like finding different ways to use stone to design and innovate anything from a kitchen spoon to a whole house. Aside from stonework, I also have experience in the field of motivational studies, personal development and other life skills which help people deal with their problems in a productive way, allowing them to achieve their goals and overcome any challenge, no matter how difficult it may seem. Well, this is a little piece of me - I hope to be of service by sharing what I know, and I look forward to meeting you.

 

Campaign Against the Abuse of Animals: The treatment of animals in the village (and across the country) is generally terrible, but the situation of the horses is exceptionally repulsive. As work animals, they are subjected to heavy loads with unpadded wooden "saddles" which often don´t fit, leaving huge open sores which are left without care - only to be loaded up again the next day. The carcasses of those who don´t survive the overworking and undernourishment are simply discarded by the nearest stream.

We are dedicated to the complete elimination of this attitude and treatment of animals, especially horses - though we recognize this is the most difficult of our goals to achieve, due to the deep cultural and economic issues involved. We are working to contact government agencies, local veterinarians, and equine interest groups to help us find and implement the most effective permanent solution.

At this point in time, some veterinarians from Xalapa have agreed to offer their services for free or at a discount. We at Finca los Tres Mundos would like to be able to cover the cost of medicine and the medical supplies (bandages, syringes, etc) necessary to make this service truly affordable for people in the community, who make less than $7 US dollars a day on average - but WE NEED YOUR HELP to make this project successful. We invite you to be a part of the solution - just click on the button below to donate as much or as little as you´d like - even a little goes a long way.

So far we have been successful in recruiting the help of Donkey Sanctuary, IELH and UNAM in providing free treatment for equines, with community workshops currently underway. We hope to expand this service in the near future to include dogs, cats, farm animals, and wild birds (frequently injured by slingshots, etc.)

CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES of animals that have been treated under this program.

You can use your credit or debit card to donate - simply click on the button below, then go to the bottom left side of the page and click where it says "continue," under "Don´t have a PayPal account?" This will take you to the donation page. Thank you so much for your support.

If you have experience with education or public outreach programs concerning the treatment of animals, we would really appreciate your input. Please contact us with any information or personal experience that could help us encourage these animal owners to change their attitude and improve their treatment of animals.

Eco-building: We are building and experimenting with locally available and recycled materials, including clay, riverstone, glass and plastic bottles, used car tires, and tetrapak milk cartons.

Completed: Guest cabin and Lorena stove (click here for pictures and descriptions of the building process)

Information and Cultural Exchange: If we are to develop sustainable solutions, we must first understand the complexity of the social and ecological context in which we live – from both a local and a global perspective. We hope that our guests will gain a new perspective through their interactions and experiences with community members, and we hope that our community will also benefit from this influx of new knowledge, ideas and philosophies. We are members of WWOOF and accept volunteers throughout the year. We also welcome input, advice and suggestions from any of you who may have experience in similar situations. Please feel free to contact us with your ideas!

Reforestation: In the last 20 years the Mazatepec / Perote area has suffered heavy logging, as well as the gradual but consistent harvesting of trees for firewood. The area, which was once dense cloud forest, is now principally cattle pasture with small patches of shade trees. Nevertheless, local communities continue to depend on wood as their principal source of fuel and income, so the existing trees continue to be cut down and the villagers must travel further and further to meet their families´ daily fuel needs - and the natural springs which used to provide the village (and nearby towns) with a year-round supply of fresh water no longer give water during the dry season. As you may imagine, this causes hardship and conflict. In the past year we have planted over 100 trees, reforesting the three wooded areas on our farm. In the coming year we plan to continue reforestation in the stream area, and in the future we would like to extend our efforts to other areas of the village, alongside a community outreach program encouraging sustainable practices and technologies.

 

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

If our projects sound interesting to you, we welcome you to join us in our efforts. Mazatepec is an excellent place to learn about the benefits and challenges that come with living sustainably, and the farm atmosphere is ideal for reflexion and meditation. We accept volunteers throughout the year, with a minimum stay of ten days. We offer skills training (stonework, building with adobe, composting, making yogurt, etc) in exchange for an average of 6 hours of volunteer work per day, 5 days a week (flexible hours). Accomodation for volunteers (free for WWOOF members) is generally in an adobe cabin, though camping and homestay may also be available. Food, transportation and personal necessities are on your own, but we´ll show you the ropes. If you are interested, please contact us for more details.

Volunteers: Believe me, it can get COLD here during any season. Please come prepared.

 

Contact Us

 

We can be reached at:

finca3mundos@gmail.com

Phone:

+521 228 143 6690
From within Mexico, dial 045 228 143 6690
From Xalapa, dial 044 228 143 6690